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integrated project management functionality for SAP customers. A Project is a complex undertaking,
bringing with it huge data of different type.
At the beginning of each project, whether it involves developing a new product, make-to-order
engineering or internal organization, you need to define and set up the structures necessary to manage
your project and incorporate them into your existing organizations and processes. Before you can run a
project in its entirety, you must first describe the project goals precisely and create a structure for the
project activities to be carried out. A clear project structure provides a basis for successful project
planning, monitoring and control.
"
You create and manage your project structure in SAP R/3 Project System, by means of work breakdown
structures and networks.The WBS describes individual phases and functions of a project. Network
contains the individual project tasks and the dependencies between them in the form of activities and
relationships
project. You can use it to plan dates & costs and allocate budget. The Work Breakdown Structure can be
displayed according to:
Phase
Function
Object
Individual tasks required to carry out the project is called WBS elements.
Network
The network describes project processing. Thus the Network contains instructions on how to carry out
activities in a specific way, in a specific order and in a specific time period.Main elements of network are
activities and relationships. It forms the basis for planning, analyzing and monitoring time schedules,
costs, & resources.
Activities
Activities are used to plan project staffing, capacity, material, PRTs, and service requirements. When
activities are assigned to WBS elements, detailed view of costs, dates, and capacities at WBS element
could be obtained. Its a task in a network which has a defined start and finish. An activity can be broken
down into activity elements.Three categories of activities in the Project System:
Internal Activities
External Activities
Activity element
Activity element is an activity which is subordinate to another activity. Activity elements contain the same
information as activities.Three categories of activity elements in the Project System:
Work elements
External Elements
General Cost Elements
Activity Type
Its a physical measure of activity output of a cost center .e.g. hours, number of units produced, machine
times, production times.
Milestones
Milestones are the events in the project to which particular importance is attached Or which trigger
predefined functions. In general they indicate transition between different departments or phases.
Milestones are assigned to activities and WBS elements:In PS milestones are used to:
Relationships
You use relationships to depict chronological and technical dependencies between activities. The
relationship determines the nature of the link between the individual activities. :
FS Relationship : An activity does not start until the preceding activity is completed.
SS Relationship : An activity can not start unless another activity has started.
FF Relationship : An activity can not be completed until another activity has been completed.
SF Relationship : An activity can not be completed until another succeeding activity has stared.
Confirmations
It is a part of network control. It documents the state of processing for the network activities and activity
elements. There are two types of confirmations Partial & Final.Confirmations are used to record:
The
The
The
The
Settlement
As a rule, projects are used to collect and monitor costs, but are not usually the final cost object. For this
reason the costs in atypical project will be settled at the end of the period.To this end, you store
settlement rules in the activity / WBS element requiring settlement. They contain information on
settlement receivers, cost apportionment and control data. Settlement receivers could be cost centers,
G/L accounts. Etc.
Budget
The budget is the approved cost structure for an action or project in a particular period.Budgeting differs
from cost plan in that it is binding. In the approval phase you prescribe your project funds in the form of
budget. It is possible to allocate overall and annual budget in parallel.
Work Centers
Work center represents the resources responsible for executing an activity. In a work center, you can
enter the available capacity and an operating time. You can arrange the work centers in a hierarchy for
capacity evaluation purposes. Internal activities are assigned to work centers (resources) to be
completed.A work center is a physical unit within a company where an activity is performed.
Profit Center
It is subdivision of business organization which is set up for internal management control purposes. Profit
centers divide business up on a management basis. The basic aim of profit center accounting is to present
areas of the business as entities operating independently in the market.
Lots of jargons .let me site an instance of the construction project of a building..
Let say there is a construction company that is going to construct a Multi-Storey building.
The first thing that needs to be created in the system is Project Definition. The entire activity plan for
this project will come under this project definition. Overall budget needs to be estimated, assigned and
get approved for the project. Project timeline needs to be decided. Project could be then subdivided into
separate parts which are actually WBS elements lets say in this e.g. we have 4 main WBS elements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Land Acquisition
Procurement
Construction
General
To every above WBS, budget and time line need to estimated.
Now to take an example we will drill down two WBS elements namely Land Acquisition and
Construction.
- Land Acquisition could be sub divided into activities as in
1.
2.
3.
4.
Plumbing
Electrical work
Flooring
Painting
5.
Furniture
These activities form the Network.
Let say Plumbing and Electricity work are the external activities as they are given to a outside
contractor. While the other activities are done by company labor so they are internal activities.
Plumbing and Electrical work could be started simultaneously.While flooring needs be done once the
plumbing and Electrical work is complete. Hence they have FS relationship and so on. Now if we talk
about milestones:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sr
NO
Project
Elements
Examples
Project Def
WBS
Activities (Under
3rd WBS)
Relationship
Milestones
Network